Going down the slippery slope.

**guthroth** · 04-08-2015 04:54

Hi

I’ve played WoW and WoG occasionally when someone bought stuff down the club, but I never bought anything for the game until now. The Kickstarter Rookie option was therefore clearly the best way to start – especially since the ‘Rookie’ part will be sent out as soon as possible and not wait for the bombers. As it happens, last Friday I played a game at my local club, and while it was fun it didn’t in any way dent my enthusiasm for the early period (1915/16) of WW1 aerial warfare which is quite poorly covered by official models.

I think the big mistake was to take a trip over to Shapeways on Saturday ..…. Oh God ….. The idea of dogfights involving FB5’s, Avro 504’s, Morane Saulnier N’s and Fokker Eindeckers sends shivers down my spine and the fact that Shapeways charge the same postage for 1 model or 10 makes it worse.

I therefore spent a chunk of my Easter researching the aircraft I want REALLY to play with and checking out Ebay and Amazon. Now – just a week after the Kickstarter has ended - I find myself waiting for deliveries of ‘Flight Of the Giants’ and ‘Watch Your Back’, and as soon as my bank has recovered I will be raiding Shapeways for a flight of 504c’s (or FB5’s) and hunting down a couple of Eindeckers.

After that, who knows. Visions of Pfalz E.I’s and Albatros C.III’s dogfighting with Sopwith Pups and Babys are dancing in my head …..

Time to take another tablet I think.

Anyway, taking my comments above into account what would you recommend for undercoating Shapeways prints ?

Also which specific colours (Vallejo, Cote D'Arms etc) do you recommend for RFC aircraft from the 1915 era ?

Many thanks and Happy Landings !

Pete

**Guntruck** · 04-08-2015 05:16

First off, you need to give Shapeways planes a really good clean with detergent, as the printing process leaves an oily residue on (and in) the plane. Depending on what material you choose you may need to give it several coats of gloss varnish to tone down the layered/grainy effect you get with the 3D print process.

My own preference is to undercoat with Tamiya Mr Kit fine white undercoat. I then either use Vallejo or Mister Kit (different to Tamiya's Mr Kit) paints. The Mister Kit paints are matched to actual WW1 and WW2 colours. As to specic Vallejo colours, Russian Green and Ivory mixed with a spot of yellow gives a passable PC10 and clear doped linen.

That's the basics, no doubt others will now pile in with their own techniques and paint colours.

**Womble** · 04-08-2015 06:00

If you go for WSF, a few coats of watered down PVA is an easy prep.

Vallejo Brown Violet is my choice of colour for British 1915 planes.

I hope this helps and your Shapeways adventure goes well.

Ian

**Jager** · 04-08-2015 09:18

There are lots of threads concerning prep for Shapeways models. Search around the hobby and Shapeways forums.
Karl

**Zoe Brain** · 04-08-2015 23:16

Here's what I use on WSF - white strong flexible - which is what I recommend for gaming (rather than display) models.

3 coats watered down PVA.
Spray overall with cheap gloss heritage cream as an undercoat

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Grey on metal surfaces, brown on wood. Spray with gloss varnish.

Then overpaint - PC10 a mix of olive with a touch of brown, German yellow wood is warm yellow, German sky a light grey or light blue, German canvas is light grey with a touch of brown, Austrian is a darker light grey. I use cheap acryllics that have to be thinned a lot, so the basecoat shows through a bit.

**flash** · 04-09-2015 01:27

The Aerodrome has Budeckes Eindecker, it also has Moranes, DH2's, Roland CLII's etc & nothing a set of decals & a drop of paint cannot sort out.
S/Ways will fill the gaps - BE2c is worth getting, Alb C.I, Aviatiks etc abound - mostly pale blue works well for the Germans (Vallejo Sky blue 067? or even Humbrol 65), Cdl mostly for the Brits - I currently use GW bleached bone.
Have a look in the painting showcase for ideas of schemes - use the index to link to the types you want to check out !

**gully_raker** · 04-09-2015 17:14

G'day Peter!
Like you I love the early war aircraft.
Might I suggest you get some Vickers Gunbus' as they were the first British aircraft actually designed to be a fighter.

Also remember many of the early war British & the German ones too were finished in CLD (Clear doped Linen) particularly the BE 2's & Gunbus.
There was only one Gunbus finished in a trial Camo finish which I used for mine.